Reading saw a substantial drop in crime in 2024, according to Police Chief Elias Vazquez, and the downward trend shows no sign of stopping.
Vazquez delivered an encouraging update to City Council during a recent meeting.
The department ended 2024 with a 21% overall reduction in crimes and started the second quarter of 2025 with a 32% reduction, the chief said.
Elias Vazquez, shown in January 2024 when he was introduced as Reading’s police chief, credits targeted enforcement strategies and intelligence-led policing for a decline in crime in the city. (BILL UHRICH – READING EAGLE)
Vazquez, who was appointed by council in December 2023 and started in February 2024, said the statistics reflect the goals he outlined when hired: crime reduction and prevention, community engagement, and organizational excellence.
Last year, he said, the city saw reductions of:
• 50% in murders
• 30% in aggravated assaults
• 24% in rapes
• 17% in simple assaults
• 13% in robberies
• 12% in weapons laws violations
“We seized 30 weapons, including rifles, shotguns, handguns, obviously potentially saving a lot of lives, taking those guns off the street,” Vazquez said.
The department also had a total of 259 narcotics investigations in 2024 that led to arrests, search warrants and joint operations with local, state and federal partners.
“We seized $162,064 in drug proceeds, 35.6 pounds of cocaine, 8.35 pounds of fentanyl, which could easily have killed hundreds of people,” Vazquez said. “Fentanyl is that potent, and then 60-plus arrests in 2024.”
The downward trend continued through the first quarter of 2025, he said.
“To date, we’ve seen a 32% decrease in overall crime, a 50% decrease in murders and a 75% decrease in rapes,” Vazquez said.
He said robberies are down 22%, assaults down 12% and burglaries down 26%.
Additionally, the department had seized 30 firearms and more than $162,000 in drug proceeds as of late June.
To improve safety on the roads, the department created a dedicated traffic enforcement unit.
“We’ve written over 1,400 traffic citations this year, made multiple DUI arrests and impounded over 70 vehicles,” Vazquez said.
Strategies tied to improvements
The chief credited targeted enforcement strategies and intelligence-led policing for the improvements.
Staffing remains a challenge, he said, pointing out that the shortfall in police personnel affects patrol capacity and response times. Yet the department made gains in efficiency, he said, and officers completed more reports on time and cleared more outstanding warrants than in previous years.
“You should know that we are about 25 officers short,” he told council. “But we’re still doing more with less. So I think that’s great.”
Vazquez emphasized the department’s renewed focus on community policing.
During downtime, officers are encouraged to meet and interact with people out in the streets, knock on doors and enter businesses to become familiar with those living and working in the areas they are responsible for patrolling.
The department held public roll calls where officers assemble in neighborhoods to interact directly with residents, the chief said. The initiative received positive feedback for improving public trust as well as crime reporting and arrests, he said.
“The whole purpose is for officers to engage, and that’s happening,” Vazquez said. “These roll calls are very effective in building relationships.”
Police have increased their visibility in public spaces and recreational areas, partnering with other city departments to respond to complaints and ensure safety, he said.
School resource officers have been reassigned during the summer break to patrol city parks, trails and other locations where people gather, he noted.
City police continue to have a high presence in the vicinity of the Pagoda and Skyline Drive, Vazquez said. However, he said, there are enforcement limitations due to the location in the Mount Penn Preserve, which lies partly outside city limits.
In terms of internal improvements, the department completed 25 policy updates and conducted 12 internal audits to ensure accountability and compliance. Recruitment efforts are ongoing, and the department recently welcomed a new public information officer to strengthen communications.
Vazquez said the department is committed to building on its progress.
“Our vision remains to deliver professional policing to our community with honor, integrity and respect,” he said.
City Council members commended Vazquez for his leadership and data-driven approach. Several praised the department’s improved visibility and responsiveness, particularly in neighborhoods that have historically felt underserved.